Okay, so since @Meshugenah mentioned it, I'm just gonna start this here. If you're in this club and you're a certain kind of person, you've probably menstruated before. I'm obviously gonna talk specifically about THINX to give people some info, because they're awesome, but also we can talk about period stuff in general. Cranky? In pain? Just need to complain? GO AHEAD. We understand.
(I feel like this shouldn't be against site rules, since I'm not advertising my own product and most of the teen girls on the site are presumably menstruating, and menstruation is not bad or inappropriate. It's just part of growing up.)
Get Ready for Period Talk Because Here It Comes
54 posts in this topic.
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You're not against the rules!
It's okay to recommend a product... as long as that's not the only reason why you've come to this site and you're not encouraging other spam bots to come as well. O_O Heck, once I publish a book (aka, another product) you can bet that I am going to mention it. XD
(Also, I've had one period in the last two years. Mwhahahahaha...) -
@Demeter @Holysocks in case you wanna add your two cents once you get them!
So THINX are underwear specifically designed for periods. They come in beige or black and several different cuts, and how much blood they hold depends on the cut - anywhere from half a tampon's worth to two tampon's worth. They feel kind of funky, a bit like bathing suit bottoms, but they're comfy. They also have period workout shorts now, but I haven't tried thosebecause I don't workoutbecause I wear underwear under my workout shorts.
You can wear them on their own and never buy pads or tampons again, or you can wear them in addition to your pads and tampons for extra security. On the heaviest days of my period, I have to wear them with a pad, because my flow is too heavy and I have to be at work for eight hours and eventually it's going to soak through the underwear. On lighter days, I can go pad-free and enjoy feeling like a person and not a blood-spewing volcano. Plus I can save several pads by just wearing the underwear at the end of my period, when I would normally waste a couple pads because I'm not quite sure if I'm done or not, so I need to wear a pad just in case - now I just wear some lightflow undies. I can also wear white pants without fear and don't have to worry about overnight leaks.
It's glorious. This is one of very few products I gush about to everyone without anyone asking first.
You're supposed to rinse the blood out with cold water before laundering them. I know that sounds gross, but it's oddly satisfying. You can also skip this step and just throw them in the wash (by themselves) if you refuse to pre-wash them, but the directions say to pre-wash.
The only downside is that they're pretty expensive up front, but no more so than at a fancy lingerie store...and they're more functional. Plus the company works to provide education (including sex ed) to girls, provides pads to girls in countries where access to menstrual products is limited, and works with other organizations that are trying to help female education, empowerment, and entrepreneur ship.
Also, they run a women's health blog.
(Here's a link to the website if you want more information.) -
Snoink, that is... that is... So when can I have babies? >.> jk. No periods for long amounts of time sounds nice.
Speaking of periods not being around... mine is like 14 days late! And I'm not someone that's late on those kind of things, so it's a little weird. (And it's not possible for me to be pregnant, so). My body is being funky, I guess. Maybe it's waiting for my THINX to arrive before I get it. XD -
@Snoink I was going to say "birth control?" and then I remembered Pregnancy.
@Holysocks #same ! I always like to say that the things they taught us about girls' health in health class were LIES. "Your period will even out." Like, maybe if you use birth control. (Which I should probably consider for that reason.) Mine has finally evened out enough that I can predict when it's supposed to come and then panic a bit when it's late. Which it is, frequently. Last time my cycle was like 52 days.
But back in high school I would sometimes just skip a whole period, and even though I knew I couldn't be pregnant, I'd be like, "There's no other explanation, health class never covered this, everyone get ready for the second coming of Jesus cuz this is about to be a virgin birth." -
XD @BlueAfrica, even now I'm like "Maybe it IS possible I'm pregnant!!" even though logic says that is ridiculous on every level. Like for me, my periods happen pretty exactly when they're supposed to! So, it's a little strange that this is happening. But that's the joy of woman hood. >.>
Also I never even really had a health class, but still, but I definitely get what you're saying; it always seems like people would say one thing, and everyone was supposed to fit under that umbrella, and you'd start panicking when you didn't XP
The other thing I wanted to say is, for some reason I like talking about menstruation. I used to hate talking about it, and it was so awkward and bleh, but then I started talking about it with friends and such and it's kinda like one big giant inside joke that all woman are a part of. Like. It's so ridiculous and icky and one of those things that you just have to laugh at and make jokes about and be dramatic about. Because. XD -
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I love this topic. Yes.
Holy... exactly. Being a girl is gross. I laugh when boys are disgusted by blood. Like, dude, you ain't seen nothin'.
@BlueAfrica O.o That's how mine used to be (but never regular), plus super heavy on top of it. Birth control has at least made it regular and somewhat lighter. -
Well, really, a combination of pregnancy and breastfeeding!
And it is nice! Like, it's super nice not carrying around pads or whatever "just in case" all the time.
...I did have to experience "post-partum lochia" which is like a heavy period, but it lasts for weeks. O_O
ANYWAY! I have questions!
How many do you actually need to get through a cycle?
And during the heavy days, do you actually have to change your panties?
Do you trust it overnight during the heavy days? -
Ive heard some less than great things about the Thinx (former) CEO and how women were treated in the company D: but they stepped down because of it so maybe it's better now?
I haven't had a period since I got my IUD! Which I guess is fairly normal according to the women I know who also have one. Prior to this I had thought of trying a menstrual cup. Does anyone have any experience with those? -
@Lauren2010 I just got an IUD too (like literally a few days ago hah) and I REALLY hope that happens to me. Do you have the 5 year one? I did the 3 year one since it's supposed to be smaller and less painful (I guess?).
I've heard with the 3 year one, periods will be light and short but they won't stop completely
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@Lumos I got the 5 year mirena IUD! I'm surprised my period went away so quickly (I've had it almost 2 months) but I'm definitely not complaining!
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@BlueAfrica you're selling this to me more and more I am really heavily considering getting them. How many pairs do you own? And also, I guess it must sometimes still feel like you're on your period the same way when you use just pads? (Like everyone knows the lovely waterfall when you sneeze or laugh or something...)
@Lauren2010, I would LIKE to know how to use a menstrual cup because it would just be so easy and cheap (in the long run) but I don't know if I'd be able to? Like I've only recently, let's say within the last year, learnt to use tampons and become somewhat comfortable using them (although it can still sometimes be fiddly), and I'm 24. o_0 So I feel like the cup would be too challenging for me, at least at this stage. (I've also always only used the tampons with the applicator.) But maybe one day I could switch to it!
Also, I'm terrified of coils/IUDs... I feel like they'd be so good but I'm just terrified. xD -
oooo! I've heard of thinx, I've just never looked into it. It's really weird because when I was younger and my periods weren't even so bad, like, I'd have them only three days a month, pretty regularly, and with no accompanying cramps and I was still complaining about them. I first started with birth control pills, but they were basically useless because I'd always miss a day xD I transitioned to paragard, which really appealed to me for the non-hormonal factor. Only I don't know if it's because I've gotten older, or the paragard itself - my periods are still somewhat regular, save for the random week or two it'll be late, but that's probably once or twice a year where something like that will happen. Mostly the change for me has been that it's just much heavier! And I also get mild cramps. Boo! Still, I've gotten to the point I don't mind having them. My cycles are kind of cool because they're pretty regular-down to the symptoms, so I know 2 days before is boob-soreness--then 1st day is cramp day. 2nd day is heavy flow day. Days 3 is moody day. And days 4-6 are pretty lame ducks, just occassional spotting, more like not having a period at all. So it is something of a comfort to know I am not pregnant. And I can usually tell my partner, "Tomorrow is day 3. Don't talk to me" and he's awesome about like baking me chocolate brownies on those days.
Birth control or no -I would highly highly recommend every girl/woman chart her own period. Like, just having any old period app on your phone makes it so, so much easier and then you can notice trends if they're there. But it also removes a lot of guesswork and worry, and brings with it a sense of control and relief (and I unno--a sense of pride? Like YES! My day 2 was not as bad as last month! I get really dorky about that stuff) Like, I know with something like 90% accuracy that I'm not going to be having a period during my wedding, or during my traveling trips. That kind of control and information is amazing. Even when I wasn't on birth control, knowing when I'm least likely to get pregnant has also been a boon :^) Though I can understand some people might find that kind of like chains. To each their own! -
Oh man. I've seen so many of those Thinx adverts on the New York subway but honesty if I were to go for reusable ones, I'd prefer the cup.
My best friend is a huge proponent of it. She has a set of 6 which she uses for her cycle. The fact that you can keep it on for basically all of the workday - like 7am to 7pm sounds amazing. And she uses an old pressure cooker for sterilization because autoclaving! So once I get over the mental irrational fear of it getting lost inside me, I'll switch.
But pills do make my period light, so I'm chill with pads for now. -
After fainting at a Taylor Swift concert because it was the first day of my period (i.e. My Fainting Day) I went to the doctor and went on the pill. Since then my periods have been really light, painless and only last two or three days. I'm too anxious about the concept of prescribing it for myself so I spend €20 every six months getting an online prescription and check my own blood pressure.
But. I don't like systemic hormones. I think that honestly I should get an IUD at some point in the near future but the following things stop me:
- horror stories from patients about how they bled for a month after it
- horror story from a friend who lost 1500mls of blood after getting hers and had to be transfused
- I'm really socially anxious about going to the doctor. Yep. Despite being one of their peeps.
- I don't know if I would get Jaydess or Mirena, don't know when I want kids etc etc.
But. That said. It is in my opinion by far the best form of birth control. I just have to convince myself to get one xD
The other option is the implant which is apparently progesterone only and that appeals to me.
But yeah. My periods were horrific before I started the OCP and it was getting to an unliveable point and I'm so glad that they're better these days.
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